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Five Fundamental Duties of the Sultan

The Sultanate of Oman operates under the guidance of the Basic Statute of the State, which functions as its constitution. The most current version of this constitution was promulgated by Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in 2021 through Royal Decree 6/2021. This landmark document defines the Sultan not only as the head of state but as the unifying symbol of the nation, entrusted with pivotal duties essential to the country’s governance and stability. The Sultan’s core responsibilities are outlined primarily in Article 49 of the Basic Statute of the State. This blog will explore five of the duties of His Majesty highlighting his central role in governance and state affairs.

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Law Updates

Employer Obligations Under the New Personal Income Tax Law

Last week, Oman took a groundbreaking step towards economic sustainability by being the first GCC country to introduce the long awaited personal income tax through Royal Decree 56 Issuing the Personal Income Tax Law. The impact that this law is expected to have on the economy and the relationship between the government and residents in Oman cannot be understated. However, it is also important to note that even though this law relates only to the taxation of individuals, it imposes a number of significant obligations on employers. This blog post will outline these key obligations under the Personal Income Tax Law that all companies in Oman need to be aware of to be in compliance with the law in their capacity as employers.

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Announcements

Introducing: Decree Toolkits

We are launching today Decree Toolkits—a new feature on Decree for helping organisations improve their compliance operations by identifying key obligations imposed by Omani legislation.

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Market Disclosures for Public Companies

In Oman’s capital market, transparency is more than a guiding principle, it is a legal obligation. Public joint stock companies are required to disclose key information that enables investors to make informed decisions and supports the integrity of the market. These disclosure requirements are part of a broader regulatory framework designed to ensure fairness, consistency, and investor protection across the stock exchange. This blog post will explain what disclosures are, the important role they play in the market, and an overview on the legal framework governing disclosures.

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Law Updates

MOF Issues Public Debt Law Executive Regulation

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) published in this week’s issue of the Official Gazette the Executive Regulation of the Public Debt Law, providing practical implementation details for the Public Debt Law that was issued back in 2023.

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Law Updates

Tender Board Issues New Omanisation Circular

The Secretariat General of the Tender Board issued a new circular last month banning government entities from contracting with private sector companies that do not comply with Omanisation percentages.

You can read the circular in full in English below:

Secretariat General of the Tender Board: Circular 2/2025 Regarding Not Contracting with Private Sector Companies That Do Not Comply with the Omanisation Percentages Approved by the Government

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Law Updates

CBO Issues New Digital Banks Regulation

The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) issued last week the Regulatory Framework for Digital Banks. This regulatory framework sets the requirement for establishing a digital bank, creates two categories for digital banks, sets minimum capital requirements, restrictions on the activities for different digital bank categories, and progressive Omanisation percentages that increase over a period of five years, licensing conditions, and the requirements to present a business plan to obtain the license, among other things.

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Foreign Lawyers in Oman Under the New Advocacy Law

The legal framework regulating the practice of foreign lawyers in the Sultanate of Oman was fundamentally reshaped by the new Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Law, issued by Royal Decree 41/2024, and the Executive Regulation of the Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Law issued by the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs Decision 66/2025. Some of the most significant changes by this new legal framework are the rules governing the practice of foreign lawyers in Oman. This blog post will highlight the key implication that this new law would have for foreign lawyers wishing to work in private practice in Oman.

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Law Updates

MOSD Issues New Elderly Welfare Homes Regulation

The Ministry of Social Development published in this weeks issue of the Official Gazette a new Governance Regulation of Social Welfare Institutions that aim to provide welfare services to the elderly.

The regulation covers matters such as the objectives of welfare homes, the conditions for admitting an elderly person to an elderly home, the conditions for volunteering at a welfare home, and the actions to be taken when an elderly person dies in a welfare home.

It is worth noting that the MOSD issued late last year a Governance Regulation of Temporary Welfare Institutions that aims to provide services for women, children and victims of human trafficking.

The new Governance Regulation of Social Welfare Institutions enters into force tomorrow. You can read in full in English on the link below:

the Governance Regulation of Social Welfare Institutions

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Announcements

New Update and Tools for the Oman Legal Citation Standard (OLCS)

The Oman Legal Citation Standard (OLCS) was first launched in 2016 as a guide for creating a standard format for citing Omani legal authorities in academic works and legal documents. The previous version of the OLCS only covered the rules for citing Omani legislation of all levels. We updated the OLCS to include new rules for citing Omani court judgments as well as Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs fatwas.

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